Neshaminy State Park

Hiking   -  Picnic Pavilions   -  Swimming   -  Boating   -  Fishing  

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Picnic Pavilions: Neshaminy has two picnic pavilions that may be reserved up to 11 months in advance for a fee. Unreserved picnic pavilions are free on a first-come, first-served basis. Call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS to reserve a picnic pavilion.

Make a reservation.

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Swimming: The main pool and children’s spray pool are open from the Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Regular hours for weekends and holidays are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, unless otherwise posted. Lifeguards are on duty when the pools are open.  215-245-8499 (seasonal)

For their safety, all children ten years of age or younger must be accompanied by a person at least 14 years of age. Children without such supervision will be asked to leave the pool.

Swimming is prohibited in the Delaware River from Neshaminy State Park.

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Boating: unlimited hp motors permitted
Privately owned boats may be launched on the Delaware River at the two boat access areas. About 370 marina slips for boats are rented seasonally. Demand for these spaces is always high and waiting lists are maintained. Slips are available for people with disabilities. Contact the marina concessionaire for specific information concerning marina dock rental, transient slips, dry storage and related services.

Neshaminy Marina
1300 2nd Avenue
Croydon, PA 19021
215-826-1662

Motorboats must display a current boat registration. Non-powered boats must display one of the following: boat registration; launching permit or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, available at most state park offices; launching permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Complete information on boating rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

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Fishing: A variety of warm-water fish species can be found in this stretch of the Delaware River and Neshaminy Creek. Common species are largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskellunge, catfish and various panfish. The park is also popular in the spring for the annual run of striped bass, American shad and herring.

Complete information on fishing rules and regulations in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site.

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Hiking: 4 miles of trails

 Logan Walk: This is the original drive to the former Robert Logan Home, which has been removed. The tree-lined walk is used by visitors for numerous recreational activities and serves as a park service road. The walk is paved and ADA accessible.

River Walk Trail: The River Walk Trail follows the shoreline and gives views of the river with its boating traffic, and also explores the tidal marsh. The River Trail Inner Loop explores the interior of the park and is a great way to discover animals and plants.

The River Walk Brochure compares the past to the present, and describes some of the river inhabitants like sturgeon, shad and eel. Puzzles help children explore the estuary, river and tidal marsh. This self-guiding brochure is available at the park office.

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Playmasters Theatre Workshop: he playhouse, on State Road, offers entertainment throughout the year. www.playmasters.org

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Access for People with Disabilities

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If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.

 

The Delaware Estuary

Can you feel the ocean’s tides in Pennsylvania? You can at Neshaminy State Park. Waves won’t knock you down, but if you watch the river, you’ll see it rise or fall an inch a minute. Even though the river flows another 116 miles from here to the ocean, you’re at sea level. When the tide comes in at a New Jersey beach, the water rises here also. Because tides affect this part of the river, it’s called an estuary.

American Indians used the rise and fall of tides to trap fish. The Indians built low fences in the river. At high tide, the fish swam over the top of the fence. As the tide went out, the fish were trapped and easily speared.

The Neshaminy freshwater estuary is a unique place. Plants and animals from two worlds meet here, some from the ocean and some from upstream headwaters.

Tidal Marsh Natural Area

This 71-acre state park natural area encompasses part of the freshwater intertidal zone along the shores of the Delaware River and Neshaminy Creek. This area contains wetlands and unique plants.

Explore natural areas for more information.

Eagles Forest

The forest is part of the Philadelphia Eagles football team “Go Green” program that focuses on offsetting the Eagles organization’s environmental impact and gets fans interested in conserving natural resources. The Philadelphia Eagles kicked off the Eagles Forest at Neshaminy State Park by planting hundreds of trees and shrubs. Together, the Eagles and the DCNR are laying the cornerstone for a healthy forest and healthy habitat. Visit www.philadelphiaeagles.com/gogreen/

A crazy idea began at Neshaminy.

For repayment of a debt to his father, William Penn received a land grant in the American Colonies from the king of England. Instead of assuming that the king’s grant gave him property rights, William Penn had what many people considered a crazy idea, he would buy the land from its current inhabitants, the American Indians.

In 1682, William Penn made his first purchase from the Lenape chiefs. The land was bounded on the south by Neshaminy Creek. A year later, Penn’s second purchase was bounded on the north by Neshaminy Creek, making what is now Neshaminy State Park the core of the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The major portion of what is now Neshaminy State Park was a gift to the Commonwealth by Mr. Robert R. Logan. A descendant of James Logan, colonial secretary to founder William Penn, Mr. Logan’s estate “Sarobia” was given to the state upon his death in 1956. The property had been a wedding gift to Robert Logan and his wife, the former Sarah Wetherill of Philadelphia, by the bride’s parents. The Logan’s home has been removed, but many of their furnishings and belongings are now in the collections of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Dunks Ferry Road, forming the eastern boundary of the park, is one of the oldest roads in Pennsylvania. Beginning in 1679, Dunken Williams operated a ferry across the Delaware River. The road gave travelers access to his ferry, and today, over three hundred years later, “Dunks Ferry” Road perpetuates both his name and enterprise.

During the mid-1700s, a large inn was built to serve travelers. Operated by many owners over the years, the Dunk’s Ferry Inn had a colorful history. One of the most successful owners was John Vandergrift, who also had a profitable shad fishing business for thirty-nine years during the late 1800s.

Keep in Touch

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Volunteering

Like to spend time in the outdoors, meet friendly people and help make Pennsylvania State Parks great? Volunteering at a park might be for you.

Becoming a Conservation Volunteer is easy.

• Sign up to be a Conservation Volunteer
  OR
• Contact your local state park directly and ask for the Conservation Volunteer coordinator - you'll be hooked up with an interesting and appropriate project in Pennsylvania's natural resources.
   

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Believing that each generation is responsible for leaving behind a better legacy of good conservation, the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation (PPFF) was created in 1999 to give supporters and users of Pennsylvania's parks and forests a positive way to contribute to the conservation of our publicly-owned properties. The Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation welcomes the support of individuals and businesses who share a commitment to conserving, protecting, and enhancing the natural, scenic, and recreational areas of this commonwealth. www.paparksandforests.org

Make a Donation

To a park - find this park's address below

To a park or the Bureau of State Parks - Pennsylvania Parks and Forestry Foundation www.paparksandforests.org

Through a purchase at a park gift shop

Thank you for your support!

Education Programs

We love when young people ask us how to get involved!

DiscoverE has programs for young people ages 4 to 17, provided by Pennsylvania State Park educators. By combining recreation and education, we hope to motivate children to learn more and return often, leading to a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and conservation leadership. 

In Watershed Education, teachers and students assess water quality of a local stream on a quarterly basis and develop strategies to solve local water quality problems. 

ECO Camp - Exploring Careers Outdoors - is a week-long residential camp for a cross-section of high school youth from across Pennsylvania, sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Participate in action-packed, hands on activities and recreational adventures in Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests that expose youth to conservation, recreation and careers in natural resources. Learn how people make a living working in the outdoors.

Explore education for more information on these and other programs.

Explore the Calendar of Events to find a program near you.

iConservePA

Do you take conservation personally? iConservePA is a Web site managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources whose vision is to inspire citizens to value their natural resources, engage in conservation practices and experience the outdoors. Take conservation personally.

Come Work with Us

Pennsylvania State Parks and the Department of Conservation and Natrual Resources offer a wide range of civil service and non-civil service jobs, from foresters, to rangers, to engineers, to educators, to botanists and so much more. Learn what is currently available.

Tell us What You Think

Contact this park with compliments, concerns and issues about the park.

Neshaminy State Park

Nearby Attractions

Information on nearby attractions is available from the Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau. visitbuckscounty.com

Tyler State Park has hiking, bicycling and exercise trails, nature trail, fishing, picnic facilities, environmental education, summer canoe rental and mobile food concession.

Maps and Downloadables

Below are many of the maps and publications for this park. You can read them or download them and might need special software (all free) to view the publications.

You must have the free Adobe Reader to view the maps and brochures that are in pdf format (.pdf).

Alternate versions of the text of the brochures are in rich text and text formats. Click on the files to view them. To download (.rtf) files:
For Windows users, right click on the link then left click on "Save target as" to download the file to your computer. For Mac users, hold down the "Options" button and click on the link, then select "Save" to download the file to your computer.

Recreational Guide

Neshaminy State Park Map (.pdf) (321 kb, 3/11) 
Neshaminy State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf) (421 kb, 3/11)
    large print version of the guide text (.rtf)

Interactive GIS Map

The Interactive GIS Map uses Geographic Information Systems to create a map that does not need to be downloaded and features driving directions, searchable park amenities and customizable maps. Please note that the background maps are maintained by a variety of public sources and driving directions usually go to the nearest large road.